Bicycle pedal



Jul 15, 1952 Filed July 28, 1947 A. ISAAC BICYCLE PEDAL 3 Sheets-Shae; l

INVENTUR AUGUSTIN \SAAC ATTORNEYS July 15, 1952 A. ISAAC 2,603,104

BICYCLE PEDAL Filed July 28, 1947 5 Sheets-Shea: 2

INVENTUR AUGUSTIN ISAAC ATTORNEYS A. ISAAC BICYCLE PEDAL July 15, 19 2 Filed July 28, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet msw INVENTDR AUGUSTIN J3AAC 3% a yaw ATTORNEYS Patented July 15, 1952 UNITED sr s PATENT err-ice BICYCLE PEDAL Augustin Isaac, Lyon, France Application July 28, 1947, SeriaLNo. 764,227

. In France February 11, 1944 pedal made according to my invention;

Fig. 3 is a side view corresponding to Fig. 2; v Fig. 4 is a side view-of another embodiment of 'a bicycle according to my invention;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View corresponding to F 4;

Fig. 6 is a front'view of a bicycle-made according to my invention;

Fig. 7 is a 'front view, on a larger scale, of a pedal made according to a modification;

Fig. 8 is a similar view of another modification;

Fig. 9 is a side view of a foot protecting pedal according to my invention; t

Fig. 10 shows a modification of the pedal of Fig. 9;

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 show still other modifications;

Fig. '14 is a front View of another pedal construction according to my invention;

Figs. 1'5, 16 and 17 are, respectively, a side view, a front view and a top plan view of still another pedal construction according to my invention.

The pedal shown by -Figs. 2 and 3 includes a pin or spindle l fixed to the end of a crank arm 2 of normal length, for instance by screwing, in the usual way. On this spindle l is join-nailed a pedal hub 3 which may be mounted inthe usual fashion, .i. c. with ball bearings at either end. To hub :3 is rigidly fixed a kind of U-shaped stirrup including two side plates 4 and a foot bearing surface 5. The dimensions "of stirrup i-5 are such that foot '6 can easily be engaged therein so as to bear upon surface 5. The latter is suitably reinforced so as to be able to "support the pedalling pressure. a I r A bicycle '1 (Fig. 1) provided with such pedals has its crank hanger bearing or box 8 located higher than in an ordinary bicycle, the outline of which is shown in dotted lines. The difference in height is such that in the lowest position of the crank arm the distance between the pedals and the ground is the same in both constructions.

4 Claims. (01. 74-5945) type.

averaging from 20 to 25 mm. in practice.

2 Thus a bicycle according to my invention does not involve more risks of contact between the pedals and the ground than a bicycle of normal But my construction has many advantages. I

'Firstgas the thickness of plate '5 is substantially smaller than the thick'ness of an ordinary pedal, for a givenclearance betweenpedal and ground the construction according to my invention permits a substantially lower position of the foot at the bottom of' its stroke, the difference For a given height h'betwee'n the foot bearing surface of the pedal and saddle 5;,thebicycle according to my invention is therefore s'lightlyilower. As

in an ordinary bicycle having its saddle correctly adjusted in height, the cyclist is seated a bit too high to rest his feet easily upon the ground after leaving the pedals, this difference of height,

despite its relatively-low value, gives a considerable advantage from the point of view of safety and stability when stopped.

Secondly, the construction according to my inven'ti'on necessita'tesa slightly smaller amount of frame tube than the usualcon'structi'on, that is to say provides an economy and permits a'reduction of weight of the bicycle. It 'should'be noted, from this point of view, that if the minimum height of side plates 4 (Fig. 2) is determined by the thickness of the cyclists foot engaged under hub 3, there is nothing to prevent me, on the contrary, from increasing this height, that is to say from raising bearing '8 (Fig. 1) as much as it may be desired. v

Thirdly, my invention permits, without varying the obliquity of saddle tube ill, of moving crank hanger a slightly backwards with respect to the vertical line of saddle Bfwhich is advantageous as bicycle framesare 'generally defective in that the saddle is normally too much behind the crank hanger.

Fourthly, the pedals are always correctly pcsitioned with respect to the foot withouthaving a tendency to tilt, even when they arefitted with relatively heavy'toe clips. It is known'that, on the contrary, with ordinary pedals, toe clips cause the pedal to be upside down when empty, since they bring the center of gravity above the pedal axis. It follows that, on the onehand, when empty the toe clips drag upon projections of the ground and are deteriorated, and, on the other hand, when the cyclist climbs into the saddle he experiences di fliculties in engaging his feet into the toe clips. I

Fifthly, the pedals according to my invention 3. are remarkably well adapted to permit, through ankle play, the reducing dead center effects to a minimum. They improve pedalling efficiency.

Sixthly, I am no longer limited by space requirements concerning the dimensioning of the pedal hub and its spindle, contrary to what takes place with ordinary pedals the total height of which is to remain very limited.

Seventhly, the pedal according to my invention perfectly holds the foot in lateral positions and avoids any slipping, even with a warped pedal spindle.

Finally, owing to the higher position of crank hanger 8, the chain is located at a higher level, away from water and mud splashes.

My pedal arrangement involves no supplementary articulation nor any modification of the crank arms.

In order to increase its rigidity, bearing plate is provided with stiffening ribs such as 5a (Fig. 3).

As the portion of the pedal that risks coming into contact with the ground is the outer portion thereof, these ribs may be made of greater height on the inner side of the pedal. For instance, as shown by Fig. 2, these ribs have an oblique lower edge as shown at 5'9. in dotted lines on Fig. 2.

In the construction illustrated by Fig. 4, in order to obtain a ladies bicycle frame of improved rigidity fitted with pedals according to my invention, the point of junction of tubes I02, I03 and I05 is located at a lower level than in ordinary cycles. For practical purposes it may be nearly as low as the lowest level of the pedals. This corresponds to giving tube I05 a greater inclination than in usual bicycle frames.

As for tube I01, which, in bicycle frames of conventional constructions, is parallel to tube I05, I preferably give it the inclination it has in ordinary frames, so that it makes an angle with tube I05,v

and I fit it with two branches I01, in line therewith and extending beyond tube I02 as far as tube I03, at a point located between the ends I04 and I08 of said tube I03. Thus I obtain a very strong and rigid construction without reducing the space provided between tubes I01 and I02 for passage of the cyclists feet.

The crank hanger IOI is fixed, preferably by welding, in the angle formed by tube I02 and branches I01.

Preferably, according to a feature of my invention, in order to avoid contact of the outer edge of the pedal with the ground when the bicycle is inclined (as shown by Fig. 6), the foot bearing portion I09 of the pedal is inclined as shown by Fig. '7, i. e. upwardly in the outward direction. This construction permits the locating the crank hanger at a lower level than if surface 9 were horizontal. Advantageously, the outer edge of the pedal is of rounded shape.

Fig. 8 shows a pedal according to my invention in which the outer side plate has been dispensed with, so that the foot bearing portion I09 is connected to the pedal spindle IIO merely through side portion II. Portion I09 is reinforced by a rib H2 and both portion I09 and rib II2 are inclined as above explained with reference to Fig. 7.

The embodiment of Fig. 8 has both functional and construction advantages. It is very convenient for the cyclist. The lateral inclination of part I09 has no mechanical disadvantages but, on the contrary, has been found to be rather favorable. It prevents slipping of the foot in the outward direction. With this construction,

.4 spindle 0 can be made shorter and part I09 located at a smaller distance from this spindle so that the pedal can be adapted to bicycle frames of conventional construction.

Fig. 9 shows a pedal of the kind above described but further provided with a kind of shoe-shaped foot protecting hood I I. This hood, which is for instance fixed by means of screws, nuts or the like, on the bearing plate 5 of the pedal, protects the foot against cold, rain, mud, etc. Hood II may be fitted with a flexible protecting flap, for instance of rubber, such as diagrammatically shown at I2, which may even extend rearwardly as far as shown at I2.

The inside of hood II is advantageously lined with heat insulating means. Advantageously its outer surface is streamlined.

I may also make hood II sufficiently rigid to constitute the stirrup, thus making it unnecessary to provide side plates 4 and bearing plate 5. Such a construction is diagrammatically illustrated on Fig. 10. The hood then forms a kind of rigid shell II' secured to the pedal hub 3. Advantageously, the hood is provided, on the inside thereof, with an abutment I3 for the tip of foot 6. I may provide apertures at the front of hood II to permit circulation of air in hot weather.

The pedal shown by Fig. 11 includes a base plate I091 supported by said plates I I8 pivoted to the pedal spindle IIO. Plate I091 is fitted with two transverse ribs I 092, one at the front, the other at the rear, the distance from the front one to the vertical plane of spindle I I0 being preferably greater (say 50 mm.) than the distance from the rear rib I092 to said vertical plane (35 mm. for a distance of mm. between spindle I I0 and the top of ribs I092).

Instead of having the cyclists foot bearing directly upon these transverse ribs I992, I provide interchangeable pieces I093 fixed, for instance by means of screws I094 against said ribs on the inner face of plate I091. These pieces I 093 can be chosen in accordance with the size of the cyclists foot so as to position it properly with respect to spindle H0.

The front piece I093 has its rear face inclined so that the cyclists foot is not stopped by said piece when he engages his foot into the pedal,

It should be noted that the provision of pieces I093 between base plate I09 and the cyclists foot creates under said foot a layer of air which protects it against cold. Furthermore these pieces serve to reduce wear of the shoe.

Advantageously the rear edge of the side plate II8 that is located on the outer side is cut off as shown at I I81 so as to facilitate quick lateral disengagement of the foot from the pedal.

A pedal made as shown by Fig. 11 may be provided with a hood (Fig. 12) by fixing upon base plate I09 a hood obtained by stamping of a metal sheet, for instance a sheet of aluminum. In this case the bottom of the hood is provided with two transverse projections I28 adapted to act as bearing pieces for the cyclists foot. Advantageously also the front part of the hood is provided with a heat insulating lining 29.

Fig. 13 shows an embodiment analogous to the above described Fig. 10, but of a slightly different shape.

Fig. 14 shows a pedal arrangement intended to reduce the transverse distance from the pedals to the plane of symmetry of the bicycles. This arrangement relates to the case of a bicycle in which the tubes I03 extending from the rear wheel to the crank hanger converge frontwardly toward said crank hanger and are therefore oblique with respect to the middle plane of symmetry A--A. The crank arm I34 is then made oblique with respect to the crank shaft axis so as to be parallel to the corresponding tube I03. The stirrup bottom part I09 projects inwardly beyond the plane of rotation BB of the outer face of the peripheral end of the crank arm.

This arrangement further permits of providing between said outer face of the crank arm and the inner face of the pedal ball bearing a distance 2 sufficient to permit the use of an ordinary spanner in order to unscrew the pedal spindle and this without modifying the transverse distance between the pedal and the crank hanger.

In the embodiment of Figs. -17, the foot protecting hood includes a strong frame, preferably made of a light metal and including the spindle hub 203. The base plate 204 is slightly inclined downwardly and inwardly as shown by Fig. 16. Its front part is provided with a protection plate 205 and with a plurality of arms 206,

2065 disposed at intervals relatively important with respect to the width of each of them. These arms serve to connect base plate 204 with hub 203.

This frame may be made by casting or better by stamping, either of steel or of a light metal.

The higher resistance of steel permits the obtaining, even with a thickness of about 1 mm., a sufficient rigidity owing to thecurved shape of all the pieces.

I may for instance cut off the base portion an the two lateral arms forming a V of a single piece, then perform the folding while stamping the edge of the base portion to a height of 5 mm. and bring back the ends of the lateral arms under hub 203, constituted by a tube. The ends of the arms are assembled for instance by welding with tube 203 in such manner as to obtain the curvature necessary to prevent injury of the foot.

Preferably I fit on frame 203, 204, 205, 206 a removable element 201 which serves to protect the upper part of the foot. This element is made of any suitable material as Celluloid or rhodoid. Element 20'! serves to close the apertures between arm 206, 2069.. It can be removed in summer so as to permit cooling of the cyclists foot.

Element 207 may either protect merely the upper part of the foot or alternatively extend under the sole thereof.

Element 201 may be provided with extensions such as 208 running around hub 203 so as to protect the front portion of the foot up to a greater height. As this extension 208 is flexible it does not trouble the cyclists foot. Another extension 209 of element 201 is provided laterally on the inner side of the pedal so as to protect the foot and the lower end of the cyclists trousers against contact with the chain. This extension 209 is preferably cut away at 2099. so as to avoid hurting the cyclists ankle.

Of course I may provide several removable elements 201 of different shapes and thicknesses to correspond to different weather conditions. The fixation of cover element 201 on the frame is made for instance as follows:

The front arm 206a. and a portion 205s of the protection plate form a removable triangular system which can be fixed to the frame by three screws 2| I, 212, 2l3. Furthermore, cover element 201 is shaped so that once fitted in position its lower edge 2019. covers the front edge of base plate 204, holes being further provided in element 201 for passage of the screws 2, 212 through which the portion 2050. of the front plate can be fixed to the portion 205 of this plate.

Screw 2I3 might be replaced by a hinge which would permit of pivoting the whole of 205a,, 206a upwardly without detaching it from the frame.

In a general manner, while I have, in the above description, disclosed what I deem to be practical and efficient embodiments of my invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. An underslung cycle pedal comprising a spindle, a hub journaled on said spindle, at least one depending side plate carried by said hub, a base plate carried by said side plate, said base plate being provided with spaced ribs extending transversely thereof for engaging the sole of the cyclists shoe, said base plate and ribs being inclined upwardly and outwardly, and wherein the distance between said ribs are substantially equal to the distance between the lowermost portion of said base plate and said spindle.

2. An underslung cycle pedal as in claim 1 wherein a hood is provided on the pedal, said hood being adapted to surround the front part of the cyclists foot, and including a flexible flap which is mounted on the inner side of said pedal to protect that portion of the cyclists foot not engaged in said hood.

3. An underslung cycle pedal as in claim 1 wherein the length of said base plate in the longitudinal direction is at least equal to the distance between the lowermost portion of said base plate and the axis of said hub.

4. An'underslung cycle pedal as in claim 1 wherein the front and rear ends of said base plate extend above the level of the remainder thereof, and wherein the plane passing through the axis of said hub and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said base plate intersects said base plate along a line which is located from the rear edge of said base plate a distance at least equal to seventy per cent of the distance from said line to the front edge of said base plate.

AUGUS'I'IN ISAAC.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 426,191 Lloyd et a1. Apr. 2, 1890 587,536 Terver Aug. 6, 1897 642,770 Whaley et al. Feb. 6, 1900 2,043,759 Lewis July 9, 1936 2,323,913 Johnson July 13, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 13,081 France Sept. 30, 1896 28,328 Great Britain May 15. 1897 of 1896 11,386 Great Britain Apr. 23, 1903 of 1902 505,591 France May 10, 1920 23,743 France Aug. 2, 1921 (1st addition to No. 505,928.) 7,611 Netherlands July 7, 1922 205,395 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1939 

